Question:

[Illtcklu]

A moral dilemma........... I don't really go for them a lot because most of the time (this being no exception) it is a unfeasible ultimatum in context because it is a story!

It's like would you have an abortion to save the mother's health? Which I consider a likelier scenario!

 

[Carsomyr]

Also what if he turns right around six months later and says "Great, now I want another kid, or two kids." Where do you draw that line?

Personally I'd be prepared to make the gamble. I mean if he shows up again you probably have to consider refusing, and granted, then you'll be dead anyway. But at least you gave the only viable option a chance.

And why trust the word of a guy whos threatening your life?

Well in this case... basically because he's so powerful that he can actually take what he wants without asking/threattening you. The fact that he'd come and make such a request/demand, even with that power, would only make sense if he was being truthful with the fact that he'd let everyone live if they did as they were told.

 

[kered]

i think its an easy choice give up one kid, or have all the kids and everyone else die.. why have all the kids and everyone die instead of giving up one kid

Yes Punkrocker......but if it was your child from your womb? Could you honestly give it away to save the town or would you demand that it be someone else' child to save everyone? Or nobody's child is given away.

That is the question here.

 

[punkrockergirl]

Yes Punkrocker......but if it was your child from your womb? Could you honestly give it away to save the town or would you demand that it be someone else' child to save everyone? Or nobody's child is given away.

That is the question here.

as hard as it would be yes i would give up my child to save everyone elses.. as i said it would be for the greater good

 

[kered]

I accept your answer Punk. In this fictional case there is no right or wrong answer. But Jo's question does make one think and it is one of her tougher if not toughest posers.

Good thread Joana!

 

[Carsomyr]

I accept your answer Punk.

At first when I read that I was like "WTF???" but then I realized it was her username... XD

But to add another dimension to this... If it was my own child I had to give up, I don't really know how I would respond. I mean I'm not even in my 20's yet so I don't know what it's like to have your own little runts. 😛

I would probably be heartbroken, but give in if everyone stressed that it was my child we had to give up. It's a tough choice: See my own child turned to evil or otherwise die. I would probably love my child even if he or she turned evil though, therefore I'm still leaning towards... you know... not dying. I guess... I'd let my child decide though, if he/she wanted to go with the man or die.

 

[Deleted member 66627]

I guess... I'd let my child decide though, if he/she wanted to go with the man or die.

Interesting, but putting such a burden of responsibility onto an 7-8 year old? Of course they're going to want to stay with mom and dad. If you have them choose and they choose you.. then what?

 

[Carsomyr]

Interesting, but putting such a burden of responsibility onto an 7-8 year old? Of course they're going to want to stay with mom and dad. If you have them choose and they choose you.. then what?

Well my reasoning is that I do not have the right to decide the ultimate fate of my child, even IF it is a really tough choice. (Hmmm... maybe we should let the children vote about what to do? It's their choice as much as the adults, and as I said in a previous post I don't believe it's fair to choose for them) I'd probably make it clear though, that if my child goes with the man then we will all survive, and once the man dies then there is nothing stopping our family from being reunited, as long as my child remains good at heart and still wants that to happen.

I know I would have chosen life as a 7-8 year old, I mean that was a phase in life where not only I but a lot of kids had finally grasped the concept of dying, and were deathly afraid of it (no pun intended... well alright it kinda was 😉).

Errr... In the (in my opinion somewhat unlikely) event that my child DID choose to stay with me though... oh crap, you know what, THAT'S a dilemma! As I said, I haven't the slightest clue about what it's like to be a father, I'd like to think that I wouldn't turn foolish because of personal feelings, but obviously I can't possibly know myself well enough to be absolutely sure of that since this involves feelings that I have never experienced.

I guess... I guess I would formulate the question of "what do you want to do" in a way so that I could choose to say "well too bad you want to stay, because you're not going to!" I obviously didn't think this through properly when I made that last statement. :S

Maybe I'd say something like "Well, you do realize that going with the man is the best option, right? But are you fine with it?" If the child goes by its own free will, then that would obviously make it easier on the kid, which certainly is prefferable.

Eh... Another option might be to kill the parents of one of the other children, and saccrifice that one instead. I won't go there though... 😛

 

[Deleted member 66627]

Maybe I'd say something like "Well, you do realize that going with the man is the best option, right? But are you fine with it?" If the child goes by its own free will, then that would obviously make it easier on the kid, which certainly is prefferable.

Eh... Another option might be to kill the parents of one of the other children, and saccrifice that one instead. I won't go there though... 😛

I see what you're saying, but I think I would feel terribly guilty leaving a descion of that magnitude almost completely up to my son. >.<

 

[Carsomyr]

I see what you're saying, but I think I would feel terribly guilty leaving a descion of that magnitude almost completely up to my son. >.<

I can understand that, but I'm trying to imagine what I would have wanted at that age, and I would most certainly have wanted to decide for myself. I guess you could always ask how the child feels about it then, just to have something to go on, I don't know... :/

 

[-Hari-]

Well in this case... basically because he's so powerful that he can actually take what he wants without asking/threattening you. The fact that he'd come and make such a request/demand, even with that power, would only make sense if he was being truthful with the fact that he'd let everyone live if they did as they were told.

I don't agree, what if he's just making us make the choice because it's hard and he wants to see us suffer because he's evil and a bully, that makes more sense to me.

If he's that powerful and can just take the child if he wants then i say let him try cause i wouldn't just give it up, at least we can be content that we did all we could.

 

[TKForce]

Anyways, the main focus of the movie is that there's this demonic man wandering the town during this epic snow storm. He kills people and has them kill themselves and each other, before they die he has them write somewhere where it will be viewed; "Give me what I want and I will go away."

If he's demonic I'd pray, if he's not really a demon I'd still pray and encourage the rest of the towns folk to do the same.

I believe even if God chose not to stop him directly he would lead me and the town to the right way to handle things and if that was for us to die I am always confident that their is good behind any tragedy.

 

[chicago]

I'm not a mom, but I did raise my little sisters and I can say without hesitation that I'd rather myself and the whole town die before I had to live with the guilt of giving up one of my own. And knowing that feeling, I wouldn't be pressuring anyone else to give up their child either. It's really a no-brainer for me.

 

[Carsomyr]

If he's that powerful and can just take the child if he wants then i say let him try cause i wouldn't just give it up, at least we can be content that we did all we could.

No you can't, because you'll be friggin' DEAD! 😛

 

[Deleted member 66627]

If he's that powerful and can just take the child if he wants then i say let him try cause i wouldn't just give it up, at least we can be content that we did all we could.

He can't take the child freely, he/she has to be given to him. They never completely explained why that was. But, he couldn't take one, so he had people kill themselves and each other to spread his message.

 

[-Hari-]

No you can't, because you'll be friggin' DEAD! 😛

maybe, but that wasnt my point 😛 , my point is that he cant be trusted, I dont trust him to not come back for another and to be honesnt I wouldnt trust him not to wipe the town out once he has what he wants either. the word of a bully is worth nothing. will probably end up dead either way

 

[-Hari-]

He can't take the child freely, he/she has to be given to him. They never completely explained why that was. But, he couldn't take one, so he had people kill themselves and each other to spread his message.

well that just an extra factor that I was unaware of... doesnt really change my opinion on it either way tho 🙂